2006 Le Clos du Caillou Cotes du Rhone

Dear Rene, Stop by Arrowine tomorrow, Wednesday November 26th for a special wine tasting to help you pick out Thanksgiving wines. Pinot noirs are especially suited for the Thanksgiving meal. Details are below. We will feature Oregon pinots by star producer Patricia Green and many others. But first, we have found a great, great deal from one of the truly excellent estates in the Rhone Valley, Le Clos du Caillou. Our price is BY FAR the lowest we've seen in the country on any wine by Le Clos du Caillou from the excellent 2006 vintage. We hope you and your family and friends have a Happy Thanksgiving, filled with good food, wine and cheer. Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Arrowine! Doug Rosen Domaine du Caillou "...the efforts produced by Domaine du Caillou since 1998 rank among the most exciting I have ever tasted."- Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate The wines that my friend Sylvie Vacheron has crafted, in concert with winemaker Bruno Gaspard (pictured here) and consulting oenologist Philippe Cambie, not only rival those of her late husband Jean-Denis Vacheron, but surpass them. The wines are better balanced and far more elegant. Parker has noticed and says the estate has reached "brilliant heights" and that "Sylvie Vacheron is to be applauded for maintaining his vision of distinctive wines of world-class quality." Get today's wine before Parker reviews this specific offering and makes it disappear from the market and prices rise. 2006 Le Clos du Caillou Cotes du Rhone 2006 Le Clos du Caillou Cotes du Rhone (Rhone Valley, France) Common retail price: $18.99 Our reg.: $15.99 Super Sale: 6 bottle special: $13.99 per bottle Case (12 or more) bottles: $11.99 per bottle From one of the truly great estates in the Rhone Valley, this is a first class blend of 90% grenache, 5% syrah, 3% mourvedre, and 2% counoise that comes primarily from vines over 55 years of age. The price is absurd. It's way too low for wine of this quality coming from low-yielding, deep-rooted old vines.The price is by far the lowest in the USA. The wine shows everything that is excellent about great 2006 vintage thatParker rated 90 points and about which the International Wine Cellar said: "...this vintage offers plenty of wines defined by their up-front, supple and sweet fruit and their typically more pliant textures and harmonious tannins." - Josh Raynolds, IWC Jan/Feb 2008 Here's how it tastes: This violet-ruby colored Rhone has beautiful aromas of strawberries, raspberries, red plum, tropical flowers and spice. The palate has plenty of weight, but what it's really all about is elegance and balance. You get lots of fresh red raspberry fruit, subtle spice, nice concentration balanced with refreshing acidity, and a long, spicy, mouthwatering finish. Wine arrives Friday, November 28th. Only 100 cases are available. To order please call 703.525.0990. We need your Visa or MasterCard information including expiration date.

2007 Santa Barbara Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi (Marche, Italy)

Dear Rene, Today we introduce a new candidate for BOTY (Bargain of the Year) from Italy's rugged Marche coast, the 2007 Santa Barbara Verdicchio. Verdicchio has long been one of my favorite white wine grapes for value. Verdicchios are wonderfully complex and intensely flavorful but they're still largely unknown throughout most of the world and they still have price tags far lower than than other wines that offer such high quality. Many verdicchios are great values, but I have NEVER tasted a Verdicchio THIS good for THIS low a price . Get all you can of the 2007 Santa Barbara Verdicchio. It's one of the best whites I've had under $10 in years. But don't be confused by the name. This small, family-run winery in Italy is named for the small nearby Italian village of Barbara and has no connection to the city or county in California. Jim Cutts 2007 Santa Barbara Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi (Marche, Italy) 2007 Santa Barbara Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi (Marche, Italy) Reg. $10.99 per bottle Six bottle price: $8.99 per bottle Case price: $7.99 per bottle Save over 25%! Verdicchio (vehr DEEK yoh) may be the best unknown white wine in the world. Though these wines receive critical praise, I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times in my seven plus years at Arrowine that I've been asked for these fabulous whites from the mountainous Marche region along the Adriatic, to the east of Tuscany and Umbria. Burton Anderson, the renowned Italian wine writer, calls verdicchio "one of Italy's most promising and most surprising white wines from a native variety", other critics have called verdicchio "Italy's most improving varietal" and "central Italy's most distinctive white grape". Verdicchio is terrific, but it is still an "insider's" grape. The grape makes fabulous wines, especially when its grown in the chalky clay hills of Castelli di Jesi, in the rugged mountains above Marche's port of Ancona on the Adriatic. The prices for verdicchios are, almost always, real bargains. You just don't get this much flavor, this much freshness, this long finish, and this elegance at such a low low price. One of my favorite Verdicchio producers is the small winery of Santa Barbara, run by Stefano Antonucci, pictured here. His wines are acclaimed by critics and have won top awards in Italy (including the prestigious "three glasses" award from Gambero Rosso). They have a trademark style of freshness and elegance, and yet they are still priced extremely affordably. The 2007 Santa Barbara Verdicchio is made from 100% verdicchio. (DOC rules allow the addition of up to 15% malvasia and trebbiano, but winemaker Stefano Antonucci only uses his prized grape, Verdicchio.) It is beautiful in the glass with a light pale straw color. The aromas are vivid and elegant and bring to mind peaches and green apple skins. The flavors are intense and rich, without being heavy or sweet, and are reminiscent of crisp peaches, fresh apples and pears, and just a touch of apple skin. The concentration of flavor, the length of the finish, the freshness and the elegance of the texture all suggest a considerably more expensive wine. The rich fresh flavors of this wine are perfect with any seafood or pasta, and equally enjoyable solo. Don't wait! To order, please call 703.525.0990. We need your Visa or MasterCard information including expiration date. Wine arrives tomorrow, Thursday, October 2nd. Thank you for reading. Jim Cutts

2006 Dolium Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina) & 2007 Domaine la Blaque Coteaux de Pierrevert, France

Dear Rene, It's hard to believe that 10 bucks still buys a wine this good, but I had to travel over 5,000 miles to find it. There's no sacrifice great enough in pursuit of a delicious 10 dollar red! If you like a smooth, juicy, easy-drinking "new world" red that is guaranteed to blow away any California cabernet, Australian shiraz or Chilean carminere at the same price, then here you are. I had the pleasure of visiting with Ricardo Giadorou, owner of Dolium, earlier this month while in Mendoza. I tasted many, many malbecs during my stay and the 2006 Dolium was a clear winner. I know you will enjoy it. It's an outstanding bargain from a winery that Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar says "turns out some of Argentina's most impressive red wines." Despite the critical praise, the list price of this wine has not increased in five years. How many European or California wines can you say that about? Our e-mail price on the 2006 Dolium Malbec is $2 per bottle LOWER than the list price of the 2001 vintage and the quality is far superior; 2006 is Robert Parker's highest rated vintage in Argentina ever. This wine is great with food, and equally good alone! Order your case today, you'll be glad you did. Supplies are limited and a bargain like this won't last for long. You still have time to take advantage of another outstanding bargain, the 2007 La Blaque Coteaux de Pierrevert. This is a presale of this delicious red blend that will arrive in November. When the Wine Advocate review hit, calling it a sensational value, I knew I couldn't wait to place my order. Reserve yours now! Please come by this weekend. We have a lot going on here: Friday wine and cheese tastings; Saturday two wine tastings, a beer tasting and a cheese tasting! And of course, Perry has great deli and cheese specials. I hope to see you. Doug Rosen 2006 Dolium Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina) 2006 Dolium Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina) Reg. $11.99 per bottle Case Special (12 or more bottles): $9.99 per bottle How did we find this bargain? By going where the bargains are! That's why both Doug and Jim have been to Argentina this year. By going to the source we can select the best wines before they are picked over internationally. It also allows us to make deals to bring them to you at the lowest prices. Why Argentina? A dollar buys more there. Dolium is a unique and special winery in the Agrelo section of Lujan de Cuyo, one of the very best wine growing areas in all of Argentina. The winery, visible in the background in this picture, is the first underground winery in Argentina. It was established by engineer Mario Giadorou and has been advised by famed winemaker Paul Hobbs. Mario's son Ricardo now heads the winery and is pushing the level of quality even higher while keeping the prices of the wines remarkably affordable. Nothing is left to chance. For this 2006 Malbec, grapes were selected from the best areas of Mendoza (Lunlunta and Perdriel in Lujan de Cuyo). The grapes are hand picked at optimal ripeness and then moved to the winery where they are vinified by winemaker Nicolas Raby using the best, gentlest, modern equipment. The delicate treatment of the fruit ensures that the full flavors of the excellent grapes are retained in the wine. Here's how it tastes: The color is bright ruby with a deep blue-purple core. The aromas are complex, rich, and inviting, reminiscent of blueberries, blackberries, violets and licorice. The palate is deep and intense with blue and black fruit supported by subtle hints of spice, tobacco, and minerals. The finish is long, satisfying and pure. The intensity, purity, and complexity here are two steps above other wines in this price range. To order, please call 703.525.0990. We need your Visa or MasterCard information, including expiration date. Wine arrives tomorrow, Friday, September 26th. 2007 Domaine la Blaque Coteaux de Pierrevert Presale 2007 Domaine la Blaque Coteaux de Pierrevert, FranceRegular Price $14.99 6 Bottle Presale Price $12.99 each 12 Bottle Presale Price $11.99 each This delicious blend (55%syrah, 35% grenache,10% mourvèdre ) is from Coteaux de Pierrevert, Pays des Alpes de Haute Provence. I first introduced you to this domaine's charming viognier and rosé in August as part of my "Addicted to Quality Series." Mike Feeney and I discovered Domaine La Blaque with wine broker Thomas Calder at ViniSud in Montpellier last winter and we were floored by the quality. All of the wines were delicious. I was so impressed that I insisted on visiting the Domaine after the show to get a closer look at why these wines were so good. It was well worth the drive. Little did I know that this Domaine would be written up in the latest Wine Advocate by David Schildknecht. After the article hit, calling the Rouge a sensational value, I decided not to wait as all the attention generated by his review will make the Rouge from La Blaque disappear in short order. Review by David Schildknecht Wine Advocate # 178 (Aug 2008) "Rating: 90 Drink 2008 - 2010 Cost: $15" "The La Blaque 2007 Coteaux de Pierrevert represents most of the production of the estate, and that is great news, because it offers striking personality and sensational value. Vividly recalling Cornas ..., this displays mouth-filling fruit as befits wine made by a variation of carbonic maceration, yet there is a pleasant graininess as well. Black tea, cocoa powder, iodine, and savory shrimp shell notes are revealed as the wine opens up, culminating in a finish of remarkable richness and grip for a tank-rendered wine of its price. Enjoy it over the next two years. Situated in the Alpes de Haute Provence, the obscure appellation of Coteaux de Pierrevert is capable of generating some striking, remarkably late-harvested results with Syrah. Thomas Calder Selections" To order, please call 703.525.0990. We need your Visa or MasterCard information including expiration date. Wine will arrive in mid-November.

2007 Domaine de Martinolles Chardonnay, Vin de Pays de L'Aude

Dear Rene, We have a new white wine leader for Bargain of the Year ("BOTY")! It's an estate bottled chardonnay from a hilly part France's Languedoc and (only for our e-mail customers) it's just $7.99 per bottle by the case. This is a natural for summertime parties (and your guests will assume you paid double). One taste and we ordered all we could, but it's only 125 cases and it will go fast. Once again we'll sing praises for the importer, Ed Addiss of Wine Traditions, who found this bargain and brought it from the vineyards to us. If you've ever doubted that having a high quality importer located nearby saves you money, this is your proof. This sells for $11.29 in the Pennsylvania stores and as much as $14 around the country. But Ed brings this from the vineyard to Arrowine. This eliminates one or two middlemen that mark up the competition. You simply won't find a better chardonnay for $11, let alone $8. That's why this is our new leader for white wine BOTY. Jim Cutts 2007 Domaine de Martinolles Chardonnay, Vin de Pays de L'Aude 2007 Domaine de Martinolles Chardonnay, Vin de Pays de L'Aude Reg. $10.99 6 bottle price: $8.99 per bottle Case (or more) price: $7.99 per bottle No further discounts. Limited availability. You may already know Domaine de Martinolles; they make our most popular sparkling wine of all time, the "Le Berceau" Blanquette de Limoux. The estate is located in the Limoux region, the western most part of France's Languedoc, just south of the ancient walled city of Carcassonne. It has been owned by the Vergnes family since 1926 and has a unique climate that is influenced by both the cool Atlantic and the warm Mediterranean. The combination of chalky soils, elevations nearing 1000 feet, warm days, and cool nights makes this area, originally planted to vines by the monks of St. Hilaire in the early 1500s, an excellent place for viticulture, and especially for chardonnay. This wonderful climate allows Domaine de Martinolles to work the vineyards traditionally, with no chemical herbicides or fertilizers. In fact they are a leading member of Terra Vitis, a group that promotes and certifies sustainable agriculture. Everything here is high class and suggests that this SHOULD be a more expensive wine. The vineyards are densely planted and picturesque, the grapes are harvested at night so the grapes are as cool and fresh as possible, yields are low, vineyard work is careful and sustainable with no chemical herbicides or fertilizers, vinification is clean and temperature-controlled and no oak is used. It is bottled in a traditional Burgundy shaped bottles and finished with natural corks. This chardonnay simply outclasses its price competition. Here is my tasting note: The wine is a bright, pale straw color. The aromas are of freshly cut green apples, freshly peeled green apple skins, an orchard full of white flowers, and just a subtle touch of sweet baking spices. On the palate there iscitrus, green apple, spice and a crisp, refreshing, mouthwatering finish that is twice the length of anything else in the price range. This is delicious chardonnay and THE white wine bargain of the year so far. To order, please call 703.525.0990. We need your Visa or MasterCard information including expiration date. Wine arrives tomorrow, Wednesday, July 16th. Jim Cutts

2007 di Lenardo Pinot Grigio "Vigneto Vigne dai Vieris"

Dear Rene, Today we have a "slam-dunk" of a deal on our most popular pinot grigio -- the perfect summertime white. It's from our friend Max di Lenardo. Don't let the price fool you. This isn't "cheap" pinot grigio like the watery stuff you see at grocery stores or served by the glass at many restaurants. This is real, flavorful, hand-harvested, estate-bottled, single-vineyard pinot grigio at the lowest price in the country. Stock up! And if you missed our Tuesday 2005 Burgundy special, we sold out of our Village Volnay, but we still have a little more of the outstanding Michel and Marc Rossignol, 2005 Volnay 1er Cru available at a great price. Don't forget our tastings: two wine tastings and two cheese tastings! And of course, marvelous cheese and charcuterie specials. Please come by. Doug Rosen 2007 di Lenardo Pinot Grigio "Vigneto Vigne dai Vieris" 2007 di Lenardo Pinot Grigio "Vigneto Vigne dai Vieris" Reg. $10.99 "Slam dunk" sale prices: 6 or more bottles at $9.99 each Solid cases (12): $8.99 each This is serious pinot grigio, more flavorful than the well-marketed, mass-produced Santa Margarita, and half the price. It is already a favorite of many, many customers at the regular price. It was THE big hit at our tasting last Friday. Take this sale opportunity to replenish your stocks if you already have some or to score a case if you don't already have some. It is one of the great white wine values we'll see this summer. It'll be wonderful to drink anytime through 2010. My friend Massimo ("Max") di Lenardo is a former Olympic athlete (volleyball) who has been called "... dynamic to a fault, always looking for new ideas to develop" by the Italian wine journal Gambero Rosso. When he took control of the family winery, he gave himself the personal challenge to increase production, keep prices down, and at the same time, actually improve the quality of the wine. Not many wineries accomplish these goals simultaneously, but we've known for years, and Gambero Rosso recently wrote, "we can safely say that he has won his personal wager". This is why it's so good:The whole grapes are pressed in a gentle pneumatic press. After a first racking, the must is transferred to temperature-controlled fermentation vats. The wine is allowed to stay on the lees until immediately before bottling to give it the fullest flavor and texture possible. The result is a wine that has won countless awards for quality and countless more for value. The 2007 is terrific -- his best yet! It's a new vintage, and when we tried it we were thrilled. This new vintage hasn't been reviewed in the popular press yet. Past vintages, though, have earned two glasses "due bicchieri," a prestigious honor usually reserved for very expensive wines, from Gambero Rosso, Italy's leading wine journal. Also, the wine has received countless "best buy" awards at prices ranging from $12-$15 per bottle. A "best buy" at $12-$15 is a "slam dunk" at $8.99. This is how it tastes: Pale straw color with an attention-grabbing pinot grigio bouquet of pear, apple, apricot and flowers. The rich and flavorful palate is reminiscent of pears, quince and green apple skin. The rich fruit flavors are balanced beautifully with refreshing acidity. There is surprising depth to the fruit and a long, refreshing finish filled with ripe fruit and just a hint of pinot grigio's characteristic "nut skin". This flavor intensity and length of finish are usually only found in much more expensive pinot grigios. This is a fantastic "porch" wine, delicious and refreshing on its own, but it will also partner well with a variety of appetizers, salads, pastas and fish dishes. This is terrific pinot grigio at an insane price. To order, please call 703.525.0990 or reply to this email. We need your Visa or MasterCard information including expiration date. Wine will arrive tomorrow, Friday June 27th. Thank you for reading. Jim Cutts

2005 Domaine les Ondines Vacqueyras

Dear Rene, If you love Côtes du Rhône, you'll love this Vacqueyras! Simply put, it out-performs any Côtes du Rhône at this price. Vacqueyras is the value appelation in the entire Southern Rhône: Find out why! And please join us for a very special wine dinner at Taberna del Alabardero with our good friend Aurelio Cabestrero on June 26th. See the delicious details below. Don't forget our tastings: two wine tastings, including a SuperTasting on Saturday and two cheese tastings! And of course, marvelous cheese and charcuterie specials. Please come by. Doug Rosen 2005 Domaine les Ondines Vacqueyras 2005 Domaine les Ondines Vacqueryas (Rhône Red) Regular: $19.99 Half Case (6): $16.99 each Full Case (12): $14.99 each Save 25% !! (Seen elsewhere for $26.99) Luxurious on the palate yet lean on the pocketbook. Great with roasted or grilled meats. A wine to sink your teeth into! Better than any Côtes du Rhône for the price. From the best vintage since 1978, this dense, full-bodied Vacqueyras is the real deal - not international in style, with all the edges rounded out and the character emaciated. This is a wine with some meat on the bone! The nose shows rich cherry fruit with pronounced black licorice and subtle notes of sage, thyme and lavender. The palate shows some grippy tannins which with sufficient aeration provide a velvety cushion of dark plum fruit and black licorice. The finish gushes with a cascade of cherry fruit carrying glimmers of spice, coffee and bitter chocolate. This rich, savory wine pairs naturally with rustic mountain cheeses, grilled or roasted meats, especially lamb or duck. Just as in nextdoor, far too over-hyped Chateauneuf-du-Pape, in Vacqueyras, time has proven that the magical blend of grenache and syrah creates a symbiosis which is often quite magnificent. Wine guru Robert Parker calls these rich Rhône reds "the world's most delicious red wines." Domaine les Ondines is made of 60% grenache, 30% syrah and 10% cinsault - many of the vines over 50 years old. They use no herbicides or pesticides on their estate, and yields are exceptionally low even by the strict standards of Vacqueyras. Buy with confidence - this is another wine with an exceptional quality/price ratio - a trademark combination from importer Ed Addiss of Wine Traditions. Luxurious on the palate, but easy on the pocketbook! To order, please call 703.525.0990 or reply to this email. We need your Visa or MasterCard information including expiration date. Wine arrives tomorrow, Friday, June 20th. Enjoy! -- Graham Reid

2006 R Wines "Strong Arms" Shiraz, South Australia

Dear Rene, If you drink Aussie Shiraz, there is a new "must try" winery, R Wines. And the "must buy" wine from R Wines is the "Strong Arms" Shiraz. To try it at this price, though, you'll have to act fast. This special price is only good on the shipment we receive tomorrow, 112 cases. More will be coming in a few weeks, but we've already been told by our supplier that the price will be higher. We got all we could at this lower price, but it won't be enough. Don't wait, call now. Limit: 3 cases per customer. Jim Cutts 2006 R Wines "Strong Arms" Shiraz, South Australia 2006 R Wines "Strong Arms" Shiraz Reg. $10.99 Case Special: $8.99 per bottle "91 points--...remarkable class for its giveaway price." Wine Advocate Here is the review, and a little information about the winery, from Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate (reviewer Dr. Jay Miller): "The 2006 Shiraz is composed of 46% McLaren Vale, 44% Riverland, and 10% Barossa Valley fruit. It was aged in seasoned French and American oak for 12 months. Opaque purple-colored, it has a nose of cedar, spice box, and blueberry. Fruit-driven, supple-textured, rich, and easygoing, the wine has remarkable class for its giveaway price. It actually has 2- 3 years of aging potential but no one that I know is going to defer their gratification. Strong Arms has been bottled with 6 different but similarly themed labels. Collect them all and Dan Philips will send you a free Bacon of the Month Club catalog. There are 12,000 cases of this remarkable value. 91 points. R Wines is a new company founded by importer and marketing genius, Dan Philips, along with co-owner, renowned winemaker, Chris Ringland. Winemakers for R Wines are Chris Ringland, Lisa Wetherell, Andrew Hercock, and John Hughes. It encompasses four familiar labels, Marquis Philips, 3 Rings, Roogle, and B*tch, along with 13 others created especially for R Wines. Needless to say, the packaging of these wines is amazingly creative but, more importantly, what is in the bottle consistently over-delivers from low-end to high-end." To order please call us at 703.525.0990. We will need your Visa or MasterCard information including expiration date. Wine arrives tomorrow, Wednesday, April 23rd. As always, we thank you for your business and your support of Arrowine and the work we do. Jim Cutts

92 Point 2006 Tait "The Ball Buster," Barossa Red, Australia

Dear Rene, Today we have two customer favorites making a return. The new vintage of Tait's "The Ball Buster" just received 92 points and we've got it! And we were able to get more of the delicious 2005 Buena Vista pinot noir that sold out in February. Doug Rosen 92 Point 2006 Tait "The Ball Buster," Barossa Red, Australia 2006 Tait "The Ball Buster," Barossa Red, Australia Our reg. price $18.99 (and spotted on Washington DC shelves at $21.99 per bottle) Special: Buy 6 at $15.99 per bottle Case Special: Buy 12 at $14.99 per bottle "The Ball Buster" is back... and it's bigger and badder than ever.This big, bold, fruit- driven red from down under just earned 92 Points in Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Tait has been establishing a track record for hedonistically rendered wines at consumer friendly prices for several years. Previous vintages of this wine have been smash hits and the 2006 The Ball Buster is a lock to continue the trend. It is a 15,000 case cuvee, all of which was basket- pressed, a labor-intensive process not commonly associated with a wine in this price category. The wine is composed of 78% Shiraz, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Merlot aged for 12 months in used French and American oak. Purple-colored, it exhibits a classy bouquet of cedar, earth, tar, espresso, blueberry, black currants, and licorice. Supple, ripe and soft on the palate, this seamless, crowd-pleaser of a wine can be enjoyed now and over the next several years. It is an awesome value." If you like 'em big and full-flavored and you plan on grilling this summer, load up! To order, please call 703.525.0990 or reply to this email. Please note that email orders can be delayed. We will need your name, phone number, and Visa or MasterCard information with expiration date. Wine will arrive Thursday, April 10.